Spark plug



s. sTAsEL AND- 0-. BERWICK.

SPARK PLUG- APPLICATION FILED FEB 24, 1921.

1,41 3,625. Patented p 25, 1922;

@ .Danz'eZ .Berwpcib S. STASEL AND D. BERWICK.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, I92].

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' amid-S a 500 Staxwb .Darzz'eZ Bani/i078 :SOL STASEL AND DANIEL BERWICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID BERWICK AssIenon' or ONE-TWENTIETH or THE WHOLE RIGHT rofnrcnonas' :ennwicx -A1\TD ANNAVE.

".IBERWICK, or. cH cAeo, ILLINOIS.

SPARK PLUG.

To all cu'kom it may concern Be it known that we, S L STASEL and DANIEL BERWIOK, citizens of the United This invention relates to spark plugs and more particularly to adjustable and self cleaning spark plugs. I 1

The primary object of the inventionis to provide an improved spark plug having the electrodes arranged whereby the spark gap may be lengthened or diminished, without removing the plug from its position in the motor. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a spark plug of this character which will have the electrodes arranged so that one of the electrodes will be stationary or'fixed, while the other electrode will be movable, so that the movable electrode may be engaged with the stationary electrode whereby the surface of the stationaryfelectrode may be scraped by themovable electrode for removing any carbon which may form on the electrodes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide animproved spark plug construction which will permit adjustment and cleaning of the electrodes and which will include manually operated mechanism located so as to be conveniently operated whereby the adjusting andcleaning of the electrodes may i be accomplished without removing the plugs from their positions in the motor.

-Other objects of the invention w ll appear upon consideration of the" following detail description and accompanying drawings, Whereinz-- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of aseries ofspark plugs mounted in' position n the head of a motor, and showing the mechanism associated with the'spark plugs whereby the from a point within reach of'the drivers seat. i j a Figure 2 is a cross section throughone of the spark plugs, and through the mechanism for actuating the movable parts thereoh I Specification of Letters fatent. Pgtent ed Apn 25, Application filed. February 24,1921. Serial No. 447,432. I

Figure}; is an elevation of the improved I spark plug showing amodified form of the means for individual actuation of the movable parts of the plug.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view showing the construction of the lower end of the movable electrode."

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail views showing different positions of the electrodes relativeto each other.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, the spark plug comprises the. shell 1 with the insulator 2 mounted therein, the lower end of which projects beyond the lower end of the shell as shown. The retaining-bushing 3 is screw threadedly mounted in the upper end of the shell to assist in lioldingthe insulator in position. Mounted in the lower end of the shell is the circular, stationary electrode l which consists of a cylindrical sleeve 5 driven into the lower end of the shell I tobe firmly fixed therein and provided with an annular flange which engages thelower end of: the shell thus forming the circular electrode. A"cylin'drical bushing 6 extends longitudinally through the center of the insulator, and this bushing embraces the longitudinally'movable stem 7 of the movable electrode. The stem 7 has its lower end provided with a cross arm 8, each end of the .cross' arm carrying a pin 9. These pins 9 form double movable electrodes which are disposed parallel'to the stem 7 and extend toward thecircular electrode 4. The free ends of the pins9 are flattened, so that the.

terminals 10 of the pins provide scraper ele:

ments which may be moved into contact with the surface of-the circular'electrode 4, where able packing '12 is interposed between the bushing 11 and the sleeve 12 to tightenfthis connection and prevent any possib'le leakage throu stem 7 6' which extends up- I h the plug. The upper end of the 5 extends upwardly through-the top of the sleeve and is connected to suitable mechanism adapted for manual actuation whereby the stem may be longitudinally reciprocated to move the pins 9 toward and away from the circular electrode 4.

For ordinary purposes, such as use on automobile motors, the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 may be employed. In this construction the top of the insulator is provided with a pair of cap nuts, mounted on the upper end of the sleeve 6, the cap. nuts being indicated at 13 and 14:. These nuts are spaced apart to permit the reception of a bracket member 15 which has an upstanding arm 16 upon which is pivotally mounted a lever 17 having a handle 18 whereby the lever may be manually operated. One end of the lever is connected by a pin 19 to the stem 7 and it will be obvious that when the lever is actuated the stem 7 may be moved upwardly and downwardly whereby the double electrodes 9 will. be movedtoward and away from the circular electrode t'thus varying the length of the spark gap'as desired. Furthermore, the lever may be actuated so as to bring the scraping edges 10 into direct contact with the surface of the circular electrode 4 whereupon the lever may be oscillated, the bracket 15 swinging around with the lever, thus imparting a turning movement to the stem 7 whereby the scraper edges 10 will movably engage the surface of the circular electrode 4 to scrape the carbon therefrom. In this manner, the surface of the electrode 4 may be entirely cleaned of carbon without removing the plug from its position in the motor. It will be apparent that the movement of the movable electrode will accomplish two purposes namely, the adjustment of the spark gap, and the scraping of the surface of the stationary electrode.

- In order that all .of the spark plugs in a motor may be adjusted or cleaned from the V drivers seat, the mechanism shown in Figs.

1 and 2 hasbeen provided which will be es pecially deslrable for use in aeroplanes when anyone or more of the spark plugs in the aeroplane motor miss fire, or require adjust-' ment.

As shown in Fig. 1, the movable stem 7 in each spark plug is extended above the plug, a suitable coupling sleeve 20 being provided to form the extension. A longitudinally extending shaft 21 is mounted upon suitable standards or brackets 22 and this shaft has right angularly extending rocker arms 23 fixed to the shaft in any preferred manner,

and adapted to be connected, as indicated at 2 1 to the upper ends of the movable stems 7. An operating arm 25 is connected to the shaft '21 and extends outwardly at right angles therefrom and has its ends joined to a movable connecting arm 26 whichin turn is connected to a crank arm 27 'on' the shaft 28. The shaft28 projects through a suitable described individual form.

For impartingthe turning movement of the movable stems whereby the electrodes may be cleaned, the arms 30 are connected to the movable stems 7 and extend outwardly therefrom so that their outer ends may be connected to a connecting member 31 which may be moved to cause the arms 30 to move simultaneously. .The end of the connecting member 31 is joined to an operating rod 32 which extends through an opening in the dash board within convenientreach of the the wires 34 from the battery may be connected to the spark plugs in the usual manner. Thls arrangement of the mechanism may be employed either on an ordinary automobile motor, or on an aeroplane motor,

the purpose being to permit adjustment and cleaningof the spark plugs from'a' point within convenient reach of the operator of the vehicle or aeroplane. i

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have illustrated the relative positions of the electrodes when the adjustments are made. In Fig. 5, the points of the double'electrodes are within very close proximity to the movable electrode so that the motor may be readily started with a mini-" mum quantity of gas. It is well known that a larger spark is desirable after the' motor has-been started. By igniting a greater quantity of gas, the compression'within the cylinder is more complete, and it necessarily follows that less carbon will form. The

small spark is sufficient for igniting and ex ploding the gas when the motor is started, but since a greater volume of gas is ejected into the cylinders-after the motor. has been started, it is desirable to increase the spark to complete the combustion of the larger volume of gas and alsoto quicken the explo sion. This is accomplished by manually moving'the mechanism to actuate the movable stem 7 -whereby; the cross arm; 8 will move downwardly to move'the electrodes 9 away from the stationary electrode 4 as shown in Fig. ,6. Obviously any length of spark may be obtained by this adjustment.

When it is necessary to clean the electrodes, especially the lower surface of the circular electrode, it is merely necessary to actuate the lever 17 or the lever 29 so that the edges 10 are moved up into contact with the surface of the stationary electrode 4:. Then by turning the actuating mechanism so as to oscillate the stem 7, the electrodes will scrape the surface of the electrode 4: and clean any carbon therefrom.

What is claimed is j 1. In combination with a spark plug mounted in a motor cylinder, a fixed electrode, a movable electrode arranged on the said plug and disposed within the cylinder, and manually operated means mounted upon the motor and engageable with the movable electrode at the top of the spark plug whereby the said means may be actuated to move the said movable electrode, relatively with respect to the said fixed electrode within the cylinder.

2. In combination with a series of spark plugs mounted in a motor, a fixed electrode for each plug, a movable electrode, a stem extending through each plug and connected to each movable electrode whereby the electrodes may be adjusted with respect to each other when the stem is actuated, and manually operated means mounted upon the motor and within reach of the operator of the motor and connected to the said stems whereby all of the electrodes may be simultaneously adjusted when the said means is actuated. V p v 3. A spark plug having a body, a fixed electrode mounted in the lower end of the operating lever pivoted to the bracket intermediate the ends'of the levers and connected at one end to the. said stem, the opposite end of the lever forming a handle, a cross arm fixed to the lower end of the said stem, and pins carried by the said cross'arm in parallel relation to the said stem, and equipped with flattened ends to form scraper elements adapted to move toward or away from said circular sparking surface and be oscillated electrodes carried by the lower ends of the said stem, a shaft mounted upon the motor above the said plugs, rocker "arms carried I by the said shaft and attached to the upper ends of the said stems, and means to manually actuate said rocker arms. j

5. In combination with a series of spark plugs mounted in a motor, a stationary electrode for each plug, including a circular sparking surface, a rotatable stem mounted centrally in the plug and adapted to be rotated and also arranged for vertical reciprocation, movable electrodes carried by the lower ends of the said stem, a shaft mounted upon the motor above the said plugs, rocker arms carried by the said shaft, extensions carried by the said stem, to connect the stems with the rockerarms, means to manually actuate the said rocker arms, laterally extending armsattached to the stems, a connecting membe'r for the sa id'arms, and an. operating 'ro'd connected'to the said connecting mem g 7 her, and adapted to bemanually reciprocated. vp In testimony whereof weaifix our signatures. I I

' SOL STASEL.

DANIEL BERWICK. 

